Henrico encourages people to join foster program

Henrico encourages people to join foster program

HENRICO COUNTY, Va (WTVR) – The Henrico County Department of Social Services is looking for much needed foster homes after seeing a spike in cases over the last year. Henrico has 94 children in foster care currently. That’s up from 73 children in October 2011.

A meeting tonight will teach participants about the needs of foster children; the traits of a successful foster parent; the process of working with program staff and the biological parents of a foster child; and the application and approval process.

If you’re interested in learning more about being a foster parent here are the details; 6 to 8 p.m. tonight, Thursday, Jan. 3 in the Board Room of the Henrico Human Services Building, 8600 Dixon Powers Drive.

“This is an opportunity for families to make a positive difference for youth in our community. These kids have talents and gifts, dreams and hopes, but they need a stable home to live in while we work with their families on solutions to their problems,” Shawn Rozier, assistant director of Social Services, said in a statement.

Foster parents are asked to be available around-the-clock to bring children into their homes and provide short-term and potentially long-term care in a safe, stable environment. Foster homes are needed for children of all ages, children with special needs and sibling groups.

To be a foster parent you have to at least 21, have your own source of income and sufficient living space to care for a child. Foster parents can be single or married, with or without children of their own, male or female, and from all backgrounds, races and nationalities.

If you would like more information about foster parenting before the meeting, you can call Georgia Phillips at (804) 501-7496 or Riva O’Sullivan at (804) 501-7182 or go to http://www.henricocares.org.